Director Muzaffar Ali recently reflected his views on whether his 1981 film 'Umrao Jaan' should be re-interpreted in present times. He said that even he himself wouldn't try to remake the epic based on Mirza Hadi Ruswa’s novel. Ali admitted that it's not easy to bring the same level of "commitment and passion" as the original.
Ali emphasized the charismatic screen presence and commitment of Rekha and all artists associated with 'Umrao Jaan' (1981). In an interview with Hindustan Times, he said, "Rekha is not easy to find! You don’t find people with such commitment — what she did, no one else can do today."
"Every person in the film was as real as Rekha, and she, too, became part of that milieu," he said, adding that the "film has reached such a level that anything new should surpass it. Films aren’t made just with budgets; they’re made with commitment and passion."
"It reflected in everything: Shahryar’s lyrics, Khayyam’s music, Kumudini Lakya’s choreography, Asha Bhosle’s playback singing, the characterisation, the actors, the cinematography, and the costumes. Everything was crafted in layers." He mentioned how filmmakers tried to remake 'Umrao Jaan' earlier but failed to resonate with it.
'Umrao Jaan' has been restored in 4K by the National Film Archive of India (NFAI) and the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC).
